A Simple and Inexpensive Electrochemical Assay for the Identification of Nitrogen Containing Explosives in the Field | Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)

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Citation
Tags

HERO ID

4122472

Reference Type

Journal Article

Title

A Simple and Inexpensive Electrochemical Assay for the Identification of Nitrogen Containing Explosives in the Field

Author(s)

Erickson, JS; Shriver-Lake, LC; Zabetakis, D; Stenger, DA; Trammell, SA

Year

2017

Is Peer Reviewed?

Journal

Sensors
ISSN: 1424-8220

Publisher

MDPI AG

Location

BASEL

Volume

Issue

Page Numbers

1769

Language

English

PMID

28767088

DOI

10.3390/s17081769

Web of Science Id

WOS:000408576900072

URL

http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/17/8/1769
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Abstract

We report a simple and inexpensive electrochemical assay using a custom built hand-held potentiostat for the identification of explosives. The assay is based on a wipe test and is specifically designed for use in the field. The prototype instrument designed to run the assay is capable of performing time-resolved electrochemical measurements including cyclic square wave voltammetry using an embedded microcontroller with parts costing roughly $250 USD. We generated an example library of cyclic square wave voltammograms of 12 compounds including 10 nitroaromatics, a nitramine (RDX), and a nitrate ester (nitroglycine), and designed a simple discrimination algorithm based on this library data for identification.